How do you solve x2+8x=14 by completing the square?

1 Answer
Apr 29, 2015

x2+8x=14

To write the Left Hand Side as a Perfect Square, we add 16 to both sides

x2+8x+16=14+16

x2+24x+42=30

Using the Identity (a+b)2=a2+2ab+b2, we get

(x+4)2=30

x+4=30 or x+4=30

x=304 or x=30+4